How Many Masks Do You Wear?
by The Silver Fox Inari
Summary: This started as just a page of dialogue between Grimm&Ich after their last battle in Hueco Mundo- I thought it respected the characters and insinuated attraction in a fun way instead of throwing out more DESUKITTYBERRYRAPE crap. Simply about love.
1. I'll Never Understand You

Hey You, I made this small little convo between Ichigo and Grimmjow. Right after their big fight in Hueco Mundo. Screw Orihime and Nel, they ruin the moment. Anyway it's really short, but don't confuse that with it being bad ;) Many people have misconceptions about the length of a piece and immediately assume it's bad if it's short. It's very light, but who doesn't like getting taunted?

Well if you like it, you might want to subscribe to the story (hint hint) because you never know when I might want to continue something haha~

Thank you for reading! It means a lot :)

If you'd like to read anything else by me, my personal favorite and most recently updated (meaning best) story is Creatures Born From Tragedy

You can go here to read: .net/s/4821408/1/Creatures_Born_From_Tragedy

Or you can just go to my page :)

Now On With the Show!

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><p>"Oi, I've got a lot to say to you shit face."<p>

"Really? Because you're such a talker already."

"Man, shut the fuck up!"

Ichigo looked at the bleeding teal-haired man with disdain and aggravation. That ravaged torn body still opposed him. He just wouldn't stop. He was going to keep throwing himself at Ichigo's sword until he died… Ichigo tightened his grip on Zangetsu.

"…Grimmjow stop." He commanded in a tired voice.

The teal-haired espada shakily wiped his bleeding mouth with his wrist. But he only succeeded in smearing more blood onto his face, "_Never…_ stop looking at me like that Kurosaki… I said, _stop looking at me like that."_

"Like _what?" _The teen spat.

"_Like you've beaten me."_

The man ran for him again, sprinting haphazardly at the orange-haired teen. He extended a bloody arm in a punch, but the shinigami threw his sword to the ground and caught it.

The espada's eyes fell darkly in realization at what he'd done.

Ichigo's demeanor became tinged with pain as he whispered roughly, _" Grimmjow __**please…**__**stop…."**_

When the espada did not respond, continuing to look off into space with that furious but dead expression, Ichigo's fingers tightened desperately on the man's knuckles and he gritted his teeth.

"You were right." The teen said with determination.

Grimmjow swallowed dryly while his own eyes narrowed. He still did not meet the other's gaze.

"I _did _come here to fight you… and I want to keep fighting you..."

The panther lowered his arm now shaking off the other's hand. His eyes were still vacant but he continued to listen.

"_Live._ Live to fight me another day… "

"Why? Giving up is worse than _any _death!" The blue-haired espada roared into the other's face. He punched again but Ichigo dodged. He ended up dodging a flurry before punching Grimmjow himself. As knuckle connected with jaw, the espada staggered back and spit blood. His breathing was even more haggard than it previously was.

"I'll… never _lose _to _someone like you._ With those _disgusting _eyes_**…. I. Hate. Those. Eyes… **__Look I don't __**care **__who you are! Human, Arrancar, Shinigami- I'll cut down __**anyone**__ who looks down on me!"_

"Who says I'm looking down on y-?"

"RIGHT NOW! LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW! With those fucking eyes!"

Ichigo grabbed the other by the white folds of his collar and shook him up to meet his gaze. Grimmjow struggled with everything he had. A small altercation proceeded and the arrancar dug his fingers into the Shinigami's hands. Both of their breathing became loud and frantic.

Ichigo's intense brown eyes blazed as he glared at Grimmjow. He shouted, **"I'm NOT!"**

He took a pause, gaze flicking between Grimmjow's own. His voice was lower in volume but stronger by far; a level of understanding woven in those next words in a mysterious way, _"I'm __**not**__ looking down on you…"_

Grimmjow's intense snarl was disrupted by his wide angry confused eyes. But they remained still. Nothing but their breathing making any noise in the silent dessert.

Grimmjow yelled, determination a little broken now, _"Why not?"_

The teen narrowed his eyes.

"Why the fuck _not!_ I don't _understand _you! I _never fucking understand you…"_

"Because _you_ look down on yourself enough without any of my help…"

Grimmjow's anger intensified. He finally gave a good sock to the teen's face. Ichigo was propelled backwards and was flattened to the sand. The teen brought a hand up to his throbbing eye.

"Agh you shit-head!" He hissed.

"I'm not one of your bitch ass friends Kurosaki. You can't just bring me to the 'good side' with your bullshit psych tactics. You don't know_ shit_ about me. So _fuck _you."

Ichigo lay there smiling as he rubbed his eye, _"I wish I could…"_

Grimmjow blinked and pulled back. He still looked angry, but had a solemnness in his expression now.

The teen continued whimsically in a small voice, "Life ain't fair though… _it really ain't…" _

The opponents were cast in another apprehensive silence. Ichigo's smile disappeared as he stared up in the sky. He was in no hurry to move.

"Why aren't we fighting damnit?... we're enemies. We hate each other. We're supposed to be fighting not sayin' all this pussy bullshit," He grabbed the other's sword and threw it onto his chest. The teen made a slight _oomph _noise.

"So let's go." Grimmjow challenged.

The teen stared up at him angrily. He pushed the sword off and his eyes fell, "There's only one reason why I hate you, you bastard."

"Oh yeah? Enlighten me. With your _fists."_ The arrancar said smiling viciously.

"_Because you'd rather be here __**alone**__ and be __**miserable**__ for the rest of your life than receive help from __**anyone…! To me, that's pathetic… **_so _that's _why I hate you Grimmjow. And that's the only reason."

"…"

"See if ya didn't notice- I'm a helper! I'm a hero! I'm supposed to _save_ people… and when I see someone in trouble- and they won't let me save them…. Even though they know… _they know,_ they can't do it themselves… I can't help but get pissed."

Ichigo sighed in frustration.

"So I'm fine with the hating, and the name calling, and the fighting… what I'm not fine with… what I'll never be fine with… is the fact that you're untouchable."

Grimmjow's frown intensified.

"The real you…. I'm never going to know you. Ever. You're never… going to tell me anything of value are you?...You're never going to tell me the truth about anything. Even when you give me looks like that…"

Ichigo had been watching the arrancar's expression for a few moments and there was a sad softness in his otherwise disgusted expression. That he was thinking about something hard. This expression was a common one Ichigo was used to. One that he was captivated by. As soon as he said that though, Grimmjow went right back glaring, hiding any actual emotion from his face. The teen sighed and laid his head back on the sand in frustration. His eyes looked desperately to the sky.

_I may not be the most inspiring or understanding person in the world_

_I may not be the most affluential…_

_But please…_

_Let him hear me just once,_ he pleaded.

Ichigo suddenly made wild comical hand gestures while he impersonated the husky voice of his companion in a corny way,"_' Urrguhurrhurr! Because you're Grimmjow and you don't have any weakness~! Urrghurrhurr~!'_- bullshit… I call. _Bull._ _Shit…_ On that one, Buddy..."

"_Why do you even care?"_ Grimmjow yowled in disgust as he threw up his hands in confusion.

"**Because I don't want you to **_**die **_**you ass!"**

"_BUT WHY?"_

"**I DON"T KNOW!"** The orange haired teen screamed.

Silence settled on the pair like cold on a snow covered graveyard.

Ichigo covered his eyes with a hand, he breathed slowly to calm himself, _"I don't know…"_ he whispered, "Please… just don't make me do this…"

Grimmjow huffed and shook his head. His shining gaze stared downwards in contempt.

"God I'll never understand you." He snarled.

"Then that makes two of us…" Ichigo said moving his hand slightly so that one brown eye found its way to the Espada.

"…I could understand you if you let me." He continued

"Why would I want that?"

The teen became snarky and said, "Ok then, let me sleep and have fun off on your own. Have a great time with all your friends Grimmjow."

"I don't need friends-!"

"_**Then go be alone."**_ Ichigo hissed challengingly.

The Espada met his gaze with infuriation. Then his expression began to quell. The espada narrowed his gaze, stil snarling. But now he looked as though he were mentally contemplating something, eyes angrily flicking around while he breathed harshly.

The blue-haired man gulped and slowly sat down, pain ravaging his form, "Alright I will. After this nap."

"Go sleep somewhere else."

"You can't boss me around you little shit. I can sleep anywhere I fuckin' want. Plus when I wake up, I won't have to look for you so I can end this battle."

"And what happens after that?"

"…"

"What are you going to do after you kill me?... What happens when you kill everyone?... You'll be alone. And you'll be king of nothing."

"_**I don't care about that. **_You can't weasel your way out of this Kuro-_**"**_

"God damnit Grimmjow _no._ I'm not playin' this game!" Ichigo rolled himself up and stared at the bloody Arrancar with what almost looked like a painful expression. His grip tightened on his sword.

"You wanna talk with me. _You let me in._ You wanna be alone, _**you be alone.**_ You don't get to use fighting me as your excuse to be around another person..."

"…_You're so annoying."_ The panther hissed with a condescending smiling as he rolled over, "you think everything I do has to do with you. Fuckin' sad Kurosaki. Not getting' enough attention from the people around you so you turn to_ anyone_… even your enemy… Ha. You're just an _insignificant_ little human with too much time on his hands. The only thing your worth is the enjoyment I'll get from ripping you apart. Besides that you're next to nothing. Don't even pretend like you know who I am. I promise I'll kill you as _soon _as I heal. So _fuck off."_

"_**Fine."**_

And with that the orange haired teen shun-poed away.

The espada heard this and immediately sat up gazing around, "That shit face! He… He really left!"

The blue-haired espada became still in the silence. His eyes sharpened above his disappearing smile. Grimmjow let out a long exhale. He sank back to the sand and looked up to the same sky Ichigo had only moments ago.

_That kid…_

…_doesn't know anything about me…._

A pause overtook the arrancar and he felt his hand slide over the sand to the place the other had laid. It was still warm. He dug his fingers into the soft ground but said nothing.

_**I'm never going to get him…**_ the masked Arrancar thought wistfully as he stared into the sky.

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><p>But Ichigo hadn't really left. No matter how sick of the Espada's shitty attitude he was, he couldn't leave. The teen was sitting on the top of one of the large red cylinders of Hueco Mundo staring off into the distance where he saw a tiny speck of blue against the sand. Ichigo watched with frustration at the espada's movements. A lightly tanned hand slid over his mouth in though.<p>

"I'll wait as long as you need… idiot." He couldn't help but smirk as he said this.

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><p>thanks again :D If you want me to continue this you could always review and say so haha.<p> 


	2. He's Got Faraway Eyes

Hey guys, thank you for the reviews on this. 9 people is enough for me haha. Stick around after the story for a note on what happens. Also beware of corniness.

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><p>"Grimmjow get up."<p>

The espada turned, startled, taking in the figure behind him. An analytical serious stare ran over the Shinigami who'd let him hours earlier. After a moment of silence passed between them, Grimmjow's expression did not immediately darken or become enraged as it usually would. Now he actually looked quite peaceful. Maybe, Ichigo thought, it was because it was night. That somehow the Panther's mood was dependent on the fiery sun to fill his rage.

"Why are you here, Shinigami?" The arrancar murmured his back to the boy.

Ichigo's mouth tightened into a thin line and before throwing his gaze to his left, "…Dunno."

Grimmjow examined this.

"Fine." He said turning back around.

Ichigo blinked, unsure of how to respond to an un-violent Grimmjow. The teen couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed at himself and kicked some sand in embarrassment. He slowly made his way to where Grimmjow was resting on the sand, and sat about an arm's length away.

This caught the Arrancar's attention, but eventually he turned back to the great soundless moon he seemed to have been entranced by. Ichigo looked it over as well. It was magnificent. A huge, glowing silver traveler making its way across the sky. The stars its only road map, and the sands its journey's destination.

"…You seem well acquainted." The teen smirked whimsically.

The Arrancar blinked and glanced at the teen again. The image of Ichigo sitting so close to him, smiling, bathed in pure moonlight…no sword in sight… it was strange. Like a dream. At least, this is what he assumed dreams to be like, absurd and impossible… considering he'd never had one before.

"…Mh." He grunted before falling silent again.

Ichigo shifted his weight to stare at the sand he was now miliking with his hand, "…You're very angry with me aren't you…?" he announced.

Grimmjow sighed.

Ichigo tiredly sought him with his eyes, "…I respect you a lot you know that right?"

Although Ichigo couldn't see it, Grimmjow's brows furrowed in his ritualistic contemplation. The teen was beginning to realize Grimmjow was a lot quieter than he thought. Someone who really didn't like talking about himself or anything unless he brought it up. Ichigo could respect that.

The Shinigami continued to wait for the Espada to look at him, "Does the dessert feel strange now that it's empty?"

"…It's never empty Ichigo. It never will be… Don't you feel all the hollows?" This time the Arrancar did look at him. And when he did Ichigo felt his leg jerk but kept the rest of his body perfectly still. He'd never seen Grimmjow look like that before. His eyes were gentle, serene. They had not lost their intense blue, or intimidating aura, but there was something about the way the moon hit them... Grimmjow looked calm, magnificent.

Something about that scared Ichigo more than any hateful maniacal expression Grimmjow'd ever made.

Ichigo gave a few flustered blinks before picking at more sand, "…I… guess I didn't before you mentioned it…"

After a moment Grimmjow resigned himself to answer.

"… It feels…" The arrancar thought for a moment before whispering, "freeing, honestly…"

"I'm glad." Ichigo said with a truthful nod.

The atmosphere between the two seemed to be growing more and more dangerous by the second. Every word they said seemed to hit the other in an odd way. Like archers hitting blind marks they weren't even aiming for. Something about that seemed dangerous.

"...You're the one who did it, didn't you?" Grimmjow inquired in a ghost of a voice. It was tinted with a tone resentment.

"…Yeah." Ichigo reluctantly answered, feeling the mood.

As a voiceless void passed between them the cry of a hollow sounded in the distance. Ichigo responded as he always did and grabbed his sword ready for a fight, but Grimmjow didn't even acknowledge it. He only continued to stare at the moon while a gust of wind lapped at his hair. The hollow was miles and miles away, baying at the moon just as Grimmjow was in his own way. It wasn't a roar of anger or attack, just of the familiar empty howl that Ichigo never understood.

"…Why did you stay, Ichigo?" Grimmjow whispered in his deep baritone voice that sent a chill down Ichigo's spine.

"…Well-" he began before getting cut off.

"If you say me, I'm going to pummel you."

"That'd be silly Grimmjow. Not everything I do revolves around you."

Grimmjow turned and caught a glimpse of the teen smiling. He remembered saying that earlier... The teal-haired espada sighed and closed his eyes to again face the moon's glow.

Ichigo didn't know how the Arrancar would respond to the joke. He did not let the apprehension cross his face, but secretly Ichigo wondered if he'd just killed the non-threatening mood.

"Ichigo…"

As the teen turned to face him again, the moon cast a shadow on one side of the teen's features. Somehow, the way his brown eyes glistened even from the depths of the shadows were haunting.

"…" The Espada seemed to trail off after saying his name. He couldn't quite put to words, the indescribable things he was thinking at that moment. Maybe that's why they were indescribable. Because you shouldn't have to explain them. This is how Grimmjow felt about almost everything he thought.

"It's ok." Ichigo said, purposefully speaking more with his eyes than his mouth, "I'm happy I stayed too."

Grimmjow said nothing but gave a familiar contemplative thoughtful stare.

"I want you to come home with me."

Grimmjow's expression suddenly shifted and became flabbergasted as he muttered, _"What?"_

"You don't need to live here anymore. It's not hard to see that you hate this place."

The Arrancar's gazed traveled deeply between the brown eyes to his left. Ichigo was a bit on edge to hear if the man would say something, but again it was just another long pause.

"...No..." he finally said slowly facing away from the teen with a hard to read expression.

"It's not a sign of defeat, Grimmjow."

"…Then what is it?" He commanded feeling a bit crestfallen.

Ichigo regressed, thinking to himself,

"…Friendship…" he announced.

After hearing no arguments he continued, "I just moved into a new place. An apartment. I don't have a room-mate… I just got this radio gig... I'm already really good… It would be fine if you came along. Soul Society won't fuck with you either."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just won't let them. Simple."

"Ha…" Grimmjow laughed and trailed off as if he didn't believe in Ichigo's childish promises.

"Plus if you get rid of some hollows on the side, it'll_ probablly _earn you _brownie points~."_ Ichigo influenced the last few words for playful emphasis.

"Hm." The Arrancar grunted again.

Ichigo kept smiling and didn't feel he needed to press the matter any further. In his mind he could hear that one song about 'Over the Rainbows' or some nonsense. He didn't know why it popped in their at that exact moment, but a single strumming ukulele played prophetically in that desert none the less. Perhaps it was the gentle breeze that carried Grimmjow's hair to a melodic tempo. Maybe it was the moon filling his mind with dreams while he was still awake. Maybe it was the fact that this. Just being able to sit an arm's length apart and watch the moon without trying to kill each other? This was a huge step.

The airy echoing voice of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole whispering over the delicate sands of Hueco Mundo, seemed to fit the place tonight. There was a calm in the land of hollows. None Ichigo had ever felt before.

The blue-haired man heard a soft whispering to his left. He turned slightly towards it to hear it better. The teen was part singing part humming quietly to himself, so faintly you could barely hear it. He tapped his fingers on his elbow, as he mumbled the song.

"_Somewhere, over the rainbow…._

_hmmhmm hmmm hmmm hmmm..._

_And the dreams that you dreamed of_

_Once in a lullaby… hmm hmmm mmm..._

_Oh, Somewhere ...hmm hmm rainbow…_

_Blue birds fly…_

_And the dreams that you dreamed of_

_Dreams really do come true ooh… ooooh_

_hmm hmmm I'll wish upon a star_

_hmm hmm where the clouds are far behind… me ee ee eeh_

_Where trouble melts like lemon drops_

_High above the chimney tops that's where… you'll fi iii nd me_

_Oh, Somewhere hmm hmm hm hmmm hmm... bluebirds fly..."_

Grimmjow became mesmerized. He'd never heard something like that before. That words could float like clouds, and have a movement of their own. Grimmjow could almost see it in the air. He watched the teen's lips move like he was casting a spell. Was it magic? Was it Ichigo? He'd never heard someone's voice make noises like that before. Grimmjow didn't know about half of the things the teen was even speaking of, but there seemed to be feelings that fit in places where words escaped him. It was something intended to be happy… but it came out so sad… It actually confused him a great deal. Reminding him of the way he thought. That sometimes things so obscure could make so much sense if seen the right way.

"Ichigo…what was that?"

"Hm?" Ichigo hadn't even recognized the fact that he'd been mumbling the song to himself aloud as he stared around at spots on the dessert. He thought it had remained only in his mind. He looked at Grimmjow and said, "Oh I'm sorry, was I bothering you? I've heard it a lot lately. Constantly being requested on late nights. I got used to hearing it so often, guess it just pops into mind now. I didn't realize I was even doing it. " He laughed.

"…Doing… what?"

"Singing." Ichigo continued simply still smiling.

"…What is singing?"

The teen's expression gingerly sobered, "…Grimmjow… you've heard of music right?"

"…"

"…Wow that… makes me _really sad._" Ichigo said trying to laugh off probably the most depressing thing he'd ever heard someone say. He pitied Grimmjow a lot, then.

"…" Grimmjow made an angrier expression feeling as if he were being made a fool of.

"Music… it's...christ how do I even describe this?... Well... it's sound. Put together to make something the means something. Sometimes people miss the mark, and make a pile of shit, and sometimes they make masterpieces. Music is really different, versatile. It's always changing. A song is a bunch of lyrics put together and sung by a person... I think that's why I like workin' at the radio station...makes me see the industry without having to sell my soul just yet... I have a love affair with music haha but I just can't seem to commit yet…"

Ichigo could see he was losing the man.

"Uh...I'll show you, ok?...But to think that you've never heard _music_… _Christ,_ I just got so depressed..." The teen was smiling as he said all this, making eccentric hand motions and using a passionate tone in his voice that made it sound like he'd been talking about something monumental like air. His eyes looked very kind as he stared at Grimmjow. Something about it perturbed the teal-haired man. After a long while of Grimmjow digesting the information, he slid a nonchalant hand across his mouth and commanded gruffly,

"Do it again."

"Do you-"

"Did I tell you to ask me a question?" the man cut him off with a familiar dominant edge, "No."

Ichigo laughed getting a rise from the king, "Sure. I can teach you one too …I mean if you want."

"…Mh." Grimmjow grunted an intrigued noise.

Ichigo felt the corners of his mouth perk up in a smile. His gaze traveled over the other man. The Espada held his head high even though he was still covered with dried blood and bruises. Something about that though, just seemed to feed into his image of grandeur. Only Grimmjow, he thought, could make looking injured look so noble.

Just then, a tiny burr worked its way into his heart. Although Grimmjow held no sword, although his large hands were not tensed into fist… Ichigo was very aware of the ever present tension that could collapse around this peace at any moment. That it would only take one offset word, one misstep on that icy sheet to bring them tumbling right back into the turbulent, inescapable waters of battle. And once beneath the ice again, would that be it? Would he really… have to fight him to the death?... What would he do?... He felt as though he were already trapped. Pounding his fist against the frozen sky demanding safe ground to tred. The teen sighed and pushed the thoughts away knowing he'd probably just make his luck worse... Like being forced to wear cleets next time.

As Ichigo's throat hummed with the sweet sounds he'd sung moments before, he never took his eyes off the moon. Too afraid to look to his right. Too afraid to even move now. But he bayed remorselessly. His brows furrowed replicating the pain the song and his internal discomfort was causing him. His mouth translating his insides as it always could. Nobody knew Ichigo could sing, nor of his deep passion for music, but honestly he didn't want to flash it around. He thought it was something like a hobby to enjoy alone. Never before had he really been able to sing in front of another person. Right now, it was the easiest thing he'd ever done. As if he were talking in a language only _he _would ever truly understand. Ichigo put what he couldn't say into his voice. Into the melancholy heartfelt musings that were "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". It was sadder, somehow. It was richer. It was hypnotic.

Ichigo liked this. He liked sitting here with Grimmjow on a cool night, staring up at a moon- and out of all the crazy things- singing. There were no battles to fight, or wars to wage. There was peace finally. A survivor's peace. Perhaps, Ichigo hoped, digging his hands into the freezing sand below…that it was also a time for forgiveness…

.

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><p>Thank you for reading everyone. I hope it was alright. So what I wanted to say was about the music. While I was writing this, my Ipod was on shuffle, and suddely that fateful song came on over the speakers and I couldn't tell you how uncanny it was. It was really a perfect moment. There's just something about that song that's haunting, aching... Yet gentle. It... really spoke to me. Can you just imagine it? Can you? Because I did. Also I've always have a huge passion for music, so excuse me for incorporating that. Couldn't help it.<p>

Like before, if you want another chapter review and tell me. :)


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